Application of Triploidy to an Emergent Oyster Culture Industry on Florida’s West Coast:Results of Growers’ Trials

Carter Cyr, Reggie Markham, and Leslie SturmerUniversity of Florida / IFAS Florida Sea GrantShellfish Aquaculture Extension Cedar Key, FL

Oyster Culture on Florida’s West Coast: An Emergent Industry

RATIONAL• Fishery failure in Apalachicola Bay,

2012• Water column leases approved,

2013• WEI certification program,

2014• Infrastructure provided by hard

clam aquaculture industry

Oyster Culture on Florida’s West Coast: An Emergent Industry

STATUS• 76 clam (bottom) leases modified for

water column use

• 64 new oyster culture leases (128 acres)

• 106 certified oyster growers

• No production statistics

Application of Triploidy to an Emergent Oyster Culture Industry on Florida’s West Coast

Project demonstrates and evaluates an oyster breeding process under local conditions

Funded by:

3N2N

OBJECTIVES are two fold:1) Document production performance,

assess health, and evaluate quality of diploid (2N) and triploid (3N) oysters

2) Quantify effects of different culture methods and seasonal harvests

2015-18

GROWER TRIALS

• Ten growers in 5 counties Pine Island (PI), Lee County Charlotte Harbor (CH), Charlotte County Cedar Key (CK), Levy County Oyster Bay (OB), Wakulla County Alligator Harbor (AH), Franklin County

• Two seasonal trials Winter conditions Summer conditions

Oyster Bay, Wakulla County

Cedar Key, Levy County

Cedar Key, Levy County

Alligator Harbor, Franklin County

Charlotte Harbor,Charlotte CountyGulf of Mexico

FLORIDA

• Gear usedBottom cages

o CH, PI, CK-1

Floating bagso CK-2,3,4o AH-1,2

Adjustable longlineso OB-1,2

Floating cages o OB-3

GROWER TRIALS

Adjustable longline

Floating bags

Floating cages

Bottom cages

SEED PRODUCTIONSPAWNS• Trial 1: April 2016 3N: FL west coast 2N♀ X LSU 4N ♂ 2N: FL west coast stocks, half siblings

• Trial 2: September/October 2016 3N: LSU and AU hatcheries 2N: FL west coast hatchery

LAND-BASED NURSERY• Trials 1&2 3N & 2N: Nurse in wellers at commercial

facility in Cedar Key

SEED DISTRIBUTION

Grower Trials

Diploid Seed Triploid SeedPlant Dates# SH

(mm) # SH (mm)

1 2500 24 2500 24 22 Jul-2 Aug 2016

2 2500 21 2500 26 22 Mar-5 Apr 2017

• Growers were asked to stock 3-4 “sample” bags/baskets at final density and not to harvest from them

• Sample bags/baskets maintained as others • After 7-8 months, sample bags/baskets were collected• Live oysters were counted per bag to estimate survival• Samples from each bag were measured for growth

HARVEST / SAMPLE COLLECTION

Grower Trials

Harvest Dates

Growout Time

Growout “Season”

1 22 Mar-5 Apr 2017

8 months Winter

2 24 Oct-26 Nov 2017 7-8 months Summer

• In addition, activity sheets provided to growers at start of trials

• Record when oysters are planted and transferred and number and sizes of bags

• Record estimated time for various culture activities (plant, transfer, fouling control, harvest, etc.)

DATA COLLECTION

40

50

60

70

80

90

100W

ater

Tem

pera

ture

(˚F)

TRIAL 1: Temperature (Jul 2016 – Mar 2017)

Avg Temp= 71-81°F

74 73

83

6772

65

84 85

98

65

83

73

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

CharlotteHarbor

CedarKey-1

CedarKey-2

OysterBay-2

AlligatorHarbor-1

AlligatorHarbor-2

Shel

l Hei

ght (

mm

)TRIAL 1: Growth-Shell Height

2N 3N

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Gear Type:

Bottom Cage

AdjustableLong Line

Floating Bag

75 mm = 3”

64

7 6 6 6

97

14

5

86

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

CharlotteHarbor

CedarKey-1

CedarKey-2

OysterBay-2

AlligatorHarbor-1

AlligatorHarbor-2

Mea

t Wei

ght (

g)TRIAL 1: Growth-Meat Weight

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Gear Type:

Bottom Cage

AdjustableLong Line

Floating Bag

2N 3N

SHELL SHAPE

Fan Ratio SL/SH = 2/3 = 0.67

Shell Height (SH) 3

Shell Length (SL)2

Shell Width (SW) 1

Cup Ratio SW/SH = 1/3 = 0.33

Preferred Ratio:

::

0.65

0.54

0.64 0.64

0.570.60

0.66

0.53

0.70 0.680.64 0.62

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

CharlotteHarbor

CedarKey-1

CedarKey-2

OysterBay-2

AlligatorHarbor-1

AlligatorHarbor-2

Fan

Rat

ioTRIAL 1: Shape-Fan Ratio

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Gear Type:

Bottom Cage

AdjustableLong Line

Floating Bag

2N 3N

0.36

0.270.30 0.30 0.29 0.30

0.34

0.270.31

0.330.30 0.30

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

CharlotteHarbor

CedarKey-1

CedarKey-2

OysterBay-2

AlligatorHarbor-1

AlligatorHarbor-2

Cup

Rat

ioTRIAL 1: Shape-Cup Ratio

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Gear Type:

Bottom Cage

AdjustableLong Line

Floating Bag

2N 3N

TRIAL 1: SurvivalWinter: Jul/Aug 2016 – Mar/Apr 2017

Location Gear Diploid Triploid

Cedar Key-1

Bottom Cages 91 89

Cedar Key-2

Floating Bags 99 98

Alligator Harbor-1

Floating Bags 99 99

Alligator Harbor-2

Floating Bags 97 98

Survival (%)

Charlotte Harbor, Charlotte County

Cedar Key, Levy County

CK-2

CK-1

CK-2

CK-1

OB-1

Oyster Bay, Wakulla County

OB-2

OB-1

OB-2

Alligator Harbor, Franklin County

AH-1 AH-2

40

50

60

70

80

90

100W

ater

Tem

pera

ture

(°F)

Avg Temp = 80-82°F

TRIAL 2: Temperature (Mar – Nov 2017)

Pine Island-Bottom cageCedar Key 3-Floating bag

Oyster Bay 3-Floating cageAlligator Harbor 1-Floating bag

Oyster Bay 1-Adjustable long line

45

61 63

52 5452

75 73

52

67

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

PineIsland

CedarKey-3

CedarKey-4

OysterBay-3

AlligatorHarbor-1

Shel

l Hei

ght (

mm

)TRIAL 2: Growth-Shell Height

Gear Type:

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Floating Cage

Floating Bag

2N 3N

75 mm = 3”

24 4

3 43

76

3

5

02468

10121416

PineIsland

CedarKey-3

CedarKey-4

OysterBay-3

AlligatorHarbor-1

Mea

t Wei

ght (

g)TRIAL 2: Growth-Meat Weight

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Floating Cage

Floating Bag

2N 3N

Gear Type:

CONDITION INDEX• Weight ratio that describes quality of meat or yield (“fatness”)• Relative value, no ‘ideal’ condition index range

Dry Meat Weight

Whole Weight – Dry Shell WeightCI = * 100

6.0 5.9

7.9 8.1

6.57.2

5.96.5

0

2

4

6

8

10

PineIsland

CedarKey-3

CedarKey-4

OysterBay-3

AlligatorHarbor-1

Con

ditio

n In

dex

TRIAL 2: Condition Index

Bottom Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

Floating Cage

Floating Bag

2N 3N

Gear Type:

TRIAL 2: SurvivalSummer: Mar/Apr 2017 – Oct/Nov 2017

Grower Gear Diploid Triploid

Cedar Key-3

Floating Bags 68 68

Cedar Key-4

Floating Bags 70 57

Oyster Bay-3

Floating Cages 82 85

Alligator Harbor-1

Floating Bags 67 92

Survival (%)

TRIAL 2: Biofouling

Grower Gear Diploid Triploid

Cedar Key-3

Floating Bags 65 37

Cedar Key-4

Floating Bags 118 47

Oyster Bay-2

Adjustable Longline 22 33

Oyster Bay-3

Floating Cages 7 22

Alligator Harbor-1

Floating Bags 26 9

Biofouling (%)

= Fouling Weight / Shell Weight (%)

Alligator Harbor

Cedar Key Oyster Bay

Floating Bag

Adjustable Longline

Floating Cage

Floating Bag

Floating Bag

CK-4

CK-4

TRIAL 2OB-2

OB-2

OB-3

OB-3

AH-1

AH-1

CK-3

CK-3

Multiple demonstration sites were established at commercial shellfish aquaculture leases on Florida’s west coast.

SUMMARY

March 2017

SUMMARY

Production differences related to ploidy type, farm location, gear type, and season were documented.

November 2017

SUMMARY

Potential advantages of triploidy, such as faster growth, shorter crop times, and year-round quality oyster meat were also documented.

March 2017

Follow this project by viewing the news blog posted at

http://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• ALL PARTICIPATING GROWERS Ray Bauer Carter Davis Jon Gill Deborah Keller Bill Lartz Johnny Sheridan Shawn Stephenson Darryl Taylor Ray Vickery Bobby Witt

• FUNDING: NOAA National Sea Grant